Clemson plays Kentucky today in Gator Bowl: Kickoff time, TV channel, score

It’s time for the Gator Bowl.

The No. 22 Clemson football team will end its season here in Jacksonville on Friday afternoon with a game against Kentucky at EverBank Stadium, home of the NFL’s Jaguars.

The Tigers are seeking a fifth straight win after a 4-4 start to the 2023 season, and can also win nine games for a 13th straight season, which would tie for the fourth longest streak in college football history.

Here’s your gameday guide.

Clemson vs. Kentucky game, TV info

Who: No. 22 Clemson (8-4, 4-4 ACC) vs. Kentucky (7-5, 3-5 SEC)

When: noon Friday

Where: EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Florida

TV: ESPN

Broadcast crew: Wes Durham, Tim Hasselbeck, Taylor Tannebaum

Stream: Via ESPN or the ESPN app

Radio: 105.5 FM in the Clemson area (see all Clemson radio affiliates here)

Satellite radio: SiriusXM 106 or 193

Series history: Kentucky leads 8-5; Clemson won last meeting

Clemson vs. Kentucky Vegas odds

Clemson opened as a seven-point betting favorite against Kentucky, according to the VegasInsider.com consensus line.

That line has dropped down to Clemson by 4.5 points as of Thursday, the team’s closest spread since Nov. 4 vs. Notre Dame (Clemson -3.5). Gamblers were favoring Kentucky earlier in the week, but momentum has shifted toward Clemson.

The Tigers currently have 58% of the total bets placed, 75% of the total money placed and 53% of the money line bets (straight-up win-loss bets), according to VegasInsider. Kentucky’s got an edge on bets placed against the spread as a 4.5-point underdog (64% of total bets).

Clemson and Kentucky are both 6-6 against the spread this year.

Weather forecast for Jacksonville

Expect a brisk afternoon. Weather.com’s 10-day forecast is projecting “a mainly sunny sky” and a high of 56 degrees for Friday, with 10-20 mph winds. Rain isn’t in the forecast.

Top storylines for the game

• Clemson’s second half of the season has been about adjusting expectations. The Tigers got an early wake-up call in losses to Duke, Florida, Miami and N.C. State. Those conference defeats made it clear they weren’t going to live up to their national championship — or even ACC championship — goals. Clemson also lost its 12-year streak of seasons with 10 or more wins, a record that even held during a turbulent 2021. But with four straight wins and young talent across the board — Clemson had four Freshman All-Americans this year — the team has generated some positive momentum and hope for 2024 as the season winds down. A win over Kentucky would further back up coach Dabo Swinney’s insistence Clemson remains in a good spot.

• The Tigers will be short-handed at multiple positions Friday due to opt-outs, transfer portal entries and lingering injuries. The team’s Gator Bowl depth chart is dramatically different from the depth chart for the regular season finale at South Carolina five weeks ago. No Jeremiah Trotter Jr. No Nate Wiggins. No Ruke Orhorhoro. No Andrew Mukuba. No Beaux Collins. Down a first-team All ACC linebacker, first-team All ACC cornerback, third-team All ACC defensive tackle and a starting safety and wide receiver, the Tigers will be relying on a bevy of younger players at multiple spots.

• One bit of good news for Clemson: 2022 Freshman All-American and one-time starting slot receiver Antonio Williams is healthy enough to suit up for the Gator Bowl. Williams, the team’s leading receiver last year, hasn’t played since Oct. 21 at Miami because of a toe injury. He said earlier this week he’s not 100% but will play regardless. That gives the Tigers something that’s been a rarity this season: Williams and freshman Tyler Brown, arguably the team’s top two receivers, on the field at the same time.

• The early story of Clemson’s season was turnovers — specifically, turnovers at the worst possible time. Whether it was quarterback Cade Klubnik or a running back near the goal line, the Tigers couldn’t get out of their own way when it came to interceptions and fumbles. And they were often allowing huge returns on those turnovers, further setting up opponents for success. Clemson, though, has won the turnover margin in four straight times and could do it for a fifth straight game for the first time since 2019. A combination of elite defense and competent offense — starting with Klubnik — is finally starting to show some consistency, another positive sign for the 2024 season.

Clemson vs. Kentucky players to watch

• Clemson WR Adam Randall: With Collins transferring to Notre Dame, can the big-bodied Randall (17 catches for 204 yards) end his sophomore season on a high note after falling out of the rotation earlier this season?

• Clemson LB Kobe McCloud: It’s also next man up at linebacker, where Trotter has opted out to prepare for the NFL Draft. McCloud, a co-starter in his place, has 13 tackles and 3.5 tackles for loss this year.

• Kentucky QB Devin Leary: An N.C. State transfer who beat Clemson in 2021, Leary finished second in the SEC this season with 23 touchdown passes. He’s a fifth-year veteran and proven talent with 38 career starts.

• Kentucky RB Ray Davis: Davis, a senior, led the SEC in total touchdowns (20) this season while running for 1,066 yards. After declaring for the NFL Draft, he was expected to opt out of the bowl but said Dec. 8 he would indeed be playing.

Clemson 2023 football schedule

• Sept. 4: at Duke, 28-7 L

• Sept. 9: vs. Charleston Southern, 66-17 W

• Sept. 16: vs. Florida Atlantic, 48-14 W

• Sept. 23: vs. Florida State, 31-24 L (OT)

• Sept. 30: at Syracuse, 31-14 W

• Oct. 7: vs. Wake Forest, 17-12 W

• Oct. 14: OPEN

• Oct. 21: at Miami, 28-20 L (2OT)

• Oct. 28: at N.C. State, 24-17 L

• Nov. 4: vs. Notre Dame, 31-23 W

• Nov. 11: vs. Georgia Tech, 42-21 W

• Nov. 18: vs. North Carolina, 31-20 W

• Nov. 25: at South Carolina, 16-7 W

• Dec 29: Gator Bowl vs. Kentucky, noon (ESPN)

Clemson 2023 depth chart

Offense

• QB: Cade Klubnik (Paul Tyson)

• RB: Will Shipley OR Phil Mafah (Keith Adams Jr.)

• Outside WR: Troy Stellato (Brannon Spector)

• Outside WR: Adam Randall (Noble Johnson)

• Slot WR: Tyler Brown OR Antonio Williams

• TE: Jake Briningstool (Josh Sapp OR Olsen Patt-Henry)

• LT: Tristan Leigh (Collin Sadler)

• LG: Collin Sadler OR Trent Howard

• C: Will Putnam (Ryan Linthicum OR Trent Howard)

• RG: Harris Sewell (Dietrick Pennington)

• RT: Blake Miller (Zack Owens)

Defense

• DE: Xavier Thomas OR T.J. Parker

• DT: Tyler Davis (Payton Page)

• DT: Peter Woods (DeMonte Capehart)

• DE: Justin Mascoll OR T.J. Parker

• Strongside LB: Wade Woodaz (Jamal Anderson)

• Middle LB: Kobe McCloud OR Wade Woodaz

• Weakside LB: Barrett Carter (Wade Woodaz)

• CB: Avieon Terrell (Austin Randall)

• SS: R.J. Mickens (Kylon Griffin)

• FS: Jalyn Phillips (Kylon Griffin)

• Nickelback: Khalil Barnes (Kylon Griffin)

• CB: Shelton Lewis (Myles Oliver)

Special teams

• PK: Jonathan Weitz (Robert Gunn III)

• P: Aidan Swanson (Jack Smith)

• KO: Robert Gunn III (Aidan Swanson)

• LS (PK): Holden Caspersen (Philip Florenzo)

• LS (P): Philip Florenzo (Holden Caspersen)

• H: Clay Swinney

• PR: Hamp Greene (Will Shipley)

• KOR: Will Shipley (Tyler Brown)